Posted on 10/07/2004 6:52:11 PM PDT by Destro
36 dead, toll rising in jihadist attack on Red Sea resorts
At least 36 have died and over 114 are reported injured in a series of attacks on resorts popular with Israelis in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula.
All of the reported injuries so far resulted from a large blast at the Hilton Hotel in the Taba resort, only a few hundred metres across the Israel-Egypt border on the Red Sea.
The Taba attack was followed closely by additional explosions -- about which little has yet been reported -- at the nearby towns of Ras Hasatan and Nuweiba.
Egyptian authorities at first claimed that the Taba explosion had been caused by gas cyclinders stored inside the hotel but Israeli sources said a car or van packed with explosives had detonated at the front of the hotel at about 10 pm local time.
"The whole front of the hotel has collapsed. There are dozens of people on the floor, lots of blood. It is very tense," witness Yigal Vakni told Israel's Army Radio, as reported on Fox News. "I am standing outside of the hotel, the whole thing is burning and they have nothing to put it out with."
The toll of murdered and injured is certain to rise as many victims are reported to be trapped in the Hilton's rubble.
No groups have yet claimed responsibility for the attack, but the method and coordination of the attacks have raised speculation that the terrorists may have been more sophisticated than the several jihadist groups normally associated with attacks on Israel.
Early this month, Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's second in command after Osama bin Laden, called for jihadists to undertake strikes against the "anti-Muslim world coalition" and said "defending Palestine is a duty for all Muslims."
That has led some to speculate that the attack may have been launched by an al Qaeda linked cell from within Egypt.
Terrorist organisation Hamas, however, had said earlier this month that it would not confine its attacks to Israel, but would instead attack Israeli interests wherever in the world they might be found.
Area and terror experts interviewed on CNN noted that, in any event, the government of Egypt would not tolerate attacks by jihadists on its soil against Western or Israeli interests.
Many of the dead and wounded have been ferried by Israeli ambulances and helicopters to the Yoseftal Hospital in Eilat, just across the border, CNN reported. At first, Egyptian authorities had denied those ambulances the right to cross the border, but as the seriousness of the situation became clear, those prohibitions were dropped.
Last month, the Israel government had warned citizens to steer clear of the popular resort area on the Red Sea due to "concrete" indications that there were terrorist attacks being planed for the area.
According to CNN, citing Israel authorities, as many as 10,000 Israelis are vacationing in the area.
Vactioners have used the area for many years to celebrate the traditional Jewish holiday of Sukkot, which marks the transition from the Days of Awe that began with Rosh Hashanah (the new year) and ends with Yom Kippur (the day of atonement).
8-Oct-2004
Payback is a female dog.
Cowards. They can't attack in Israel --- the security forces have made it far too difficult to pull of a bombing that big. So they go just across the border to blow up innocent, vacationing Israelis.
Sounds like the Egyptians allowed Israeli rescuers to go across the border, which at least is a good sign of cooperation.
When is the ENTIRE WORLD going to rise up against these Muslims and their radical Islamo-fascism?? When will the pressure be put on Islamic nations to CLEAN HOUSE of these radical sub-humans in their ranks??? HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THE WORLD TAKES RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLEANING ITS OWN HOUSE????
I would also suspect we will be seeing an Isreali visit to a certain Iranian Nuclear facility in the not to distant future also.
When it happens to the French?
Someone please post the map of the Middle East nuked with the exception of Israel.
That's what I'm concerned about: that Hamas, Islamic Jihad, etc. will start to target dense populations of Jews outside of Israel, since, as you said, it's to difficult to carry out operations in Israel proper.
Where are the American Muslim voices (again)?. Despite the beheadings, despite this act on vacationers, despite the growing worldwide violence, I hear no condemnation coming forward.
I guess one reaps what one sows at some point....
If an American school is 'hit' I wouldn't want to be part of a Muslim neighborhood.
Yes.. saw that - the backpackers. Moving video.
Busy whining about how they are discrimated against and how they are going to give their vote to John Kerry. They know a sucker when they see one.
But a very big chunk of human civilization refuses to even acknowledge that the fight exists. Paralyzed by PC, pathological tolerance and stupidity.
As long as the UN keeps funding terrorists, they will keep terrorising.
France get hit? Ha! Not likely, since they support terrorism. But if the day comes, I quite frankly won't give a rats @ss. They reap what they sow.
The deadly blast at the Hilton hotel in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Taba on the border with Israel was claimed by the previously unknown "World Islamist Group", in a telephone call to AFP in Jerusalem."Jamaa Al-Islamiya Al-Alamiya (World Islamist Group) claims responsibility for the explosion at the Taba hotel, carried out in revenge for the Palestinian and Arab martyrs dying in Palestine and Iraq," the caller said.
"Jamaa will carry out a series of martyr operations (suicide attacks) during the month of Ramadan to avenge these martyrs," he said.
The holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan begins in mid-October.
They will be sorry they provoked Israel. The Moussad doesn't play games like other intel services.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.